mammoth-plate albumen print, mounted, signed 'C. E. Watkins' and numbered 'No. 4' by the photographer in ink and titled and numbered by him in pencil on the mount, matted, 1865-66

Presumably,♋ the Gardner Colle🌸ction of Photographs, Harvard University

To the present owner, 1965-66

Grading this albumen print on a scale of 1 to 10 - a 10 being an albumen print with deep brown dark tones and highlights that retain all of their original detail - this print rates a 10. The dark areas throughout the print are a deep, rich brown/black; the highlights are cream colored. The print is in excellent condition. When examined closely, a faint, thin ½-inch scuff can be seen along the lower edge when the print is examined in high raking light. Also visible in high raking light is a faint, diffuse ½-inch area of scuffing below the center of the print. These issues are inconsequential and do not impede one's enjoyment of the print. The mount is lightly age-darkened.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

The photograph offered here presents a sweeping view of the Valley from the Mariposa Trail at Inspiration Point.  Framed by trees, many of Yosemite's landmarks are visible: El Capitan, the Bridal Veil Falls, and Half-Dome in the far distance.  This image is the fourth in a sequence of negatives that begins with the well-known 'No. 1, The First View In.'    

Weston Naef and the Carleton Watkins Mammoth Plꩵate Catalogue Raisonné Project locate only three other prints of this image, all in institutional collections.   

When Taber printed from this negative in later decades, the tops of the trees in the left foreground were masked out, leaving a blank sky above the horizon line.  A Taber print was offered in these rooms in April 1992, and it is a Taber print that is reproduced in Lee Witkin and Barbara London's A Photograph Collector's Guide (Boston, 1979).